Egypt's former interior minister appears before judge

Egypt's former interior minister appeared in court Thursday on charges he ordered the killing of protesters. Habib El Adly faces the death penalty if convicted of ordering police to shoot at protesters. In May, a judge sentenced him to 12 years in prison for money-laundering and ordered him to pay 14 million Egyptian pounds (about $2.3 million). El Adly, who was part of former President Hosni Mubarak's inner circle, is suspected of using violence to quash the Egyptian uprising that led to the toppling of the longtime leader Mubarak, his two sons, his interior minister and six assistants face trial on the same charges. Their trial started Wednesday, with the defendants, including Mubarak, placed in a black mesh and iron cage, a standard procedure in Egyptian criminal trials. All pleaded not guilty. The former president's trial was adjourned to August 15. Legal proceedings continued Thursday as El Adly appeared before the judge. About 840 people died and more than 6,000 were wounded in the 18 days of uprising that toppled Mubarak, according to Amnesty International. A police officer accused of indiscriminately shooting protesters has been sentenced to death in absentia. A popular revolt forced Mubarak to step down February 11, leaving the nation under the control of a military council.from / CNN .